Northamptonshire teen used missing children to sell heroin and cocaine in drug ring

A 19-year-old has been jailed for running a drugs line which used missing children to supply Class A drugs.

Connor Walsh, previously of Queen Street in Rushden, Northamptonshire, ran a drugs line which supplied heroin and crack cocaine.

Between March and September 2022, he organised the travel of two reported missing children, a 15-year-old boy from London and a 17-year-old boy from Essex, to supply drugs in Rushden.

He was arrested in September 2022 as he left a property in Higham Ferrers.

Police found two girls aged 15 and 16 inside the property, along with drugs of a combined street value of over £4,000.

43 street deals of heroin were at the property and enough in stock to create another 312 street deals.

A further 35 street deals of crack cocaine were found along with scales and cash.

Walsh pleaded guilty to four offences at Northampton Crown Court in January, including being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, and arranging the travel of two boys with a view to their exploitation under the Modern Day Slavery Act 2015.

Last week he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.

Detective Sergeant Keith Morson from Northamptonshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team, said: “I welcome the sentence handed to Connor Walsh as he was involved in serious criminality - running a drugs line which supplied Class A drugs on the streets of Rushden.

“He fully knew the harm that these drugs cause in the community and his culpability was compounded by the fact that he facilitated vulnerable missing children from out of the county to be brought to Rushden and exploit them by supplying his drugs at street level, motivated by the lure of profit."

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